


Not Like This

by sunandstxrs



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Angst, F/M, I am so sorry, So much angst, as soon as i clicked major character death tag i was already crying, cursing tw
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-26
Updated: 2016-11-25
Packaged: 2018-09-02 06:53:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8655040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunandstxrs/pseuds/sunandstxrs
Summary: A rewrite of Thane's death on Priority:Citadel, because the way it was written was bullshit.





	

She knew it was going to happen. She always knew that he was going to die, even before their relationship began. Some part of her still was desperately holding on to this baseless hope that he would pull through, but she knew it was almost time. 

She was reminded of this as she watched helplessly as the love of her life tangled with the Cerberus assassin, knowing that if she tried to intervene she could hit Thane instead. He was doing well but she knew he could not survive this and everyone watching knew it, himself probably included. Every cell in her body was screaming with the intense frustration and anxiety of not being able to do a damn thing. She could barely breathe, all she could do was watch as he was about to be killed. Her fists were clenched at her side, small biotic fields pulsing around them as she tried not to cry. 

_This can't be it. Not yet, not after everything we've been through, I am not losing him yet, please-_

She always knew he was going to die, but nothing could have ever prepared her for the raw, primal pain tearing through her body as she watched Thane fall, his blood staining the floor.

_"Thane!"_

She didn't even recognize her own voice, it was ensnared with raw anguish and despair. She started to run to his side, but then noticed the assassin sprinting away. 

"Garrus! Stay with him, get him medi-gel, something, I don't know, fucking anything! I'm not letting that bastard get away!"

Echo screamed, biotics flaring as she ran faster than she could have thought possible. He was still quicker somehow, and she just kept getting more angry the farther he got away. 

_The second I catch up with this bastard, I am going to rip him to shreds._

They came to the window, and she was relieved. There was nowhere he could run here. 

But then, he jumped.

She felt her stomach drop as he got away on the skycar, shooting aimlessly as tears wrecked her vision, biotics crackling furiously in the air around her.

 _"No!_ No, no, no,  _no! **Goddamnit!**_ "

She heard shuffling footsteps behind her, and she whipped around, gun pointed at the ready. She gasped as she saw it was Thane, weakly shuffling along, gun in hand. Her anger dissipated for now, and the suffocating fear had her within its claws again. Echo dropped her gun and all but sprinted to his side as he fell down against the wall. 

"Thane, why are you walking, damnit! You can't overexert yourself, not now, we need to get you to Huerta, I can't-"

"Siha-"

"Don't you siha me right now," her voice wavered as she staved off sobs, "You're  _dying_ and I can't lose you, not yet, not now, don't you dare siha me right now. Thane Krios, what the  _fuck_ were you thinking!?" 

"I was protecting you." He answered simply, as if the answer was clear as day. 

She almost laughed. Even in his last days, he would sacrifice what little of his life he had left for someone else _._ Of course. He then reached up, and brushed some hair out of her face, smiling softly as he did so. He was studying her face with great intent, and the tears let loose then, because she knew he was committing her face to memory as if this was the last time he would ever see her, something for him to remember as he lay there dying. She buried her face in his chest then, clutching him as tightly as she could, frightfully aware of his wounds. Her body shook as wave after wave of tears crisscrossed down her face. 

"Why. Why did you do that, I could have protected myself, everything would have been fine-"

"Because I love you, Echo." 

"But you're  _dying_ now, you were already in pain before and now there's a fucking hole in your stomach, I-"

She was cut off by her tears again. 

"My first instinct was to protect you. I... I wasn't aware I was moving until my gun started firing. I could not stand to let any harm come your way."

She knew she would have done the same in his position, she couldn't be mad at him now. Especially not now. She finally gazed back up at him, trying to smile, trying to be happy even though she felt her world crumbling every time he struggled to breathe. 

"Thane, I... I love you too. I love you s-so much, thank you... thank you for everything." 

"Uh, Commander, I hate to do this now, but... we have to go. The council is still in trouble, and it looks like we're the only one who can save 'em. I'm.. I'm sorry." James cut in. 

Echo reached up and cupped Thane's cheek, kissing him with everything she had before getting up to leave. 

"Thane Krios, don't you dare die on me while I'm gone. Don't you dare." Her voice shook terribly. 

"Go. Fight like I know you can, siha. I will find you when you are done." 

As she turned to leave, he added, 

"And if I cannot fulfill your wish, I will meet you across the sea."

He was haunted by the pain in her eyes as she shot him one last pleading glance before Garrus and James all but carried her away. 

_Amonkira, forgive me for letting this woman love a dying man._

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> im in so much pain right now  
> (Chapter 2 will be the hospital scene. I was wanting to do it all in one go but I've hurt myself too much with this :') )


End file.
